Donation continues long-standing,
multi-faceted partnership to support lifesaving
mission
WASHINGTON, March 29,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Red Cross
celebrates The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, headquartered in Salt Lake City, for its substantial donation
of $7.35 million. The gift will help
purchase blood equipment and biomedical emergency vehicles and will
assist with blood donor engagement initiatives and support for
patients with sickle cell disease. Church leaders announced
the gift as they renewed their commitment to disaster preparedness
and relief efforts by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding
with Red Cross leadership.
As a current Mission Leader, the Church is part of an elite
group of the most generous Red Cross donors — those giving more
than $3 million annually to help
alleviate suffering in the face of emergencies.
"It's a special day for us to acknowledge the relationship that
The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints has with the American Red Cross,"
said Bishop W. Christopher Waddell of the Presiding
Bishopric. "We know that because of that collaboration and that
teamwork, millions of lives have been blessed in some form or
another. I'm sure in the future there will be other opportunities
to collaborate to serve together to bless millions of lives."
For more than 100 years, the Church has partnered with the Red
Cross, offering financial support, providing in-kind gifts,
recruiting volunteers and hosting blood drives. The partnership
— dating back to Red Cross founder Clara Barton and Emmeline B. Wells, president of the Church's
Relief Society — grew out of their joint efforts building comfort
kits for soldiers and resulted in the formation of the Salt Lake City chapter of the Red Cross.
Today, the Church supports several areas of the Red Cross
mission. Over the lifetime of the partnership, they have held
nearly 40,000 blood drives and collected almost 1.2
million donations across the U.S. — more than any other
partner. The Church also offers support in wake of disasters, helps
provide lifesaving vaccines for children around the world and
supports Red Cross programs serving the military community.
"We are honored by The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints' extraordinary generosity year
after year," said Gail McGovern,
president and CEO of the American Red Cross. "Our partner for more
than 100 years, the Church supports all facets of our lifesaving
mission and leads the way in helping us provide compassionate care
and comfort to those most in need. We are so very grateful to
continue working with the Church to be a beacon of hope in times of
crisis."
The Church's gift comes during Red Cross Month, an annual
celebration throughout March honoring the community heroes that
help the Red Cross deliver its lifesaving mission. The donation and
new Memorandum of Understanding strengthen a partnership of
compassion in action and highlight a shared commitment to helping
those in need.
To learn more about Red Cross partnerships, including the
Mission Leader program, visit redcross.org.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort
to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood;
teaches skills that save lives; distributes international
humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their
families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on
volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its
mission. For more information, please visit
redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org,
or follow us on social media.
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints-donates-7-35m-to-the-american-red-cross-302103041.html
SOURCE American Red Cross